Soviets Seek U.s. Aid In Rare Request

WASHINGTON — The Soviet Union late Friday made an unprecedented request for aid from the United States to help victims of the catastrophic earthquake that has devastated Armenia.

At a news conference in the Soviet Embassy, Yevgeny Kutovoi, the embassy`s second-ranking official, read a lengthy list of medical supplies needed in Armenia and said his government ``would welcome participation of special U.S. organizations with expertise in earthquake debris search and rescue operations.``

President Reagan had offered assistance to the Soviets in a telephone conversation with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Thursday morning shortly before Gorbachev left the U.S. for his homeland to deal with the disaster.

A plane chartered by the U.S. government that would carry a resuce team with specially trained dogs and American disaster specialists was scheduled to leave Friday night for Armenia, according to Kutovoi and a State Department spokesman.

Kutovoi also announced creation of the Earthquake Relief Fund, with special bank accounts in Washington and Moscow, which, he said, was set up after the embassy was deluged with telephone calls and telegrams asking how people could help.

``It is with a feeling of gratitude and appreciation that the Soviet side is receiving the offers from the U.S. governmental, public and other organizations, as well as private persons,`` Kutovoi said.

In addition, Kutovoi said Soviet officials were trying to get the telephone company to install what amounts to a ``hot line`` at the embassy for calls relating to Armenia.

Kutovoi said he had just left the State Deparment where he discussed with U.S. officials what kind of aid might be sent and also asked for assistance in dealing with the telephone company.

Though the Soviets accepted foreign technical assistance after the disaster at Chernobyl, this was thought to be the first time the Soviet government has requested help from the United States.

The scene was remarkable as Kutovoi spoke in an ivory and gold room with a huge portrait of Lenin hanging on a wall outside, looking through a door that was filled with embassy personnel. For centuries, whether the government was Czarist or Communist, the rulers of what is now the Soviet Union have been reluctant to ask for help from the outside world.

Asked if this was the first time his government had asked for aid, Kutovoi mentioned Chernobyl, but then said: ``This is just really, you know, unusual.``

At the State Department, a spokesman for the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance was careful to say the Soviets had ``accepted the offer`` of help. The State Department spokesman said a plane chartered by the U.S. government would leave for the Soviet Union Friday night carrying personnel from the disaster office and a special rescue team with dogs trained to find victims in such situations.

In addition, the spokesman said, private organizations were readying planes with medical and other supplies.

Kutovoi said ``cargo-carrying airplanes, including military transport aircraft`` could fly directly to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.